Research shows that children who miss 10% or more of the first month of school are more likely to be chronically absent by the end of the year! The Maryland State Department of Education analyzed attendance data from the 2023-24 school year and found that this pattern still holds true post-pandemic.
Effective approaches to reducing chronic absence rely on real-time, actionable student data to see which students or groups of students need additional support. Review September’s data and reach out to students and families who have already missed two or more days of school to build a relationship; prioritize students who were chronically absent last year.